Erewhon Market to transform historic May Company parking garage in DTLA

Erewhon Market is renovating the ground level of a historic May Company parking garage in Downtown LA’s South Park for its fifth store in California.

The store will feature a bar serving tonic, juice and coffee; a pizza oven; and a selection of organic, vegan and raw foods. It is occupying approximately 9,500 sq. ft. of the property owned by Beverly Hills developer Markwood Enterprises.

“The original location of the space at Ninth and Hill was built as a drug store, and we’re excited to reinvent the building through Erewhon’s focus on healing and preserving the body through natural ingredients,” said the chain’s chief executive Tony Antoci.

Original rendering of the parking structure at 900-910 S. Hill | UCLA Library

The nine-story structure at Ninth and Hill was constructed in 1927 and designed by local firm Beelman & Curlett, the architect behind Park Plaza Hotel in Westlake and the nearby Garfield Building. It has four levels above ground, and another four underground.

It was particularly built for customers of May Department Store located at Eight and Hill, where the Broadway Trade Center now stands. It has around 200,000 sq.ft. of floor area, which delivered 400 parking spaces.

According to the garage’s application for landmark status, it was of architectural significance in the 1920s as it was among the first of its kind to be built within the city during the boom of Auto culture. It was added into LA’s list of Historic-Cultural Monument in 2011.

Erewhon Market has not announced an official timeline for the project but a spokesperson has revealed to Curbed that it will open after the chain launches its new Santa Monica location.